temperamental

adjective

ˌtem-p(ə-)rə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce temperamental (audio)
Definition of temperamentalnext
1
as in moody
frequently influenced by moods and especially bad moods one of those temperamental actresses who can make life difficult for everyone around her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly stock prices have been pretty temperamental lately, often fluctuating wildly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of temperamental The result is a fascinating deconstruction of the documentary process, with Pretsell both charmed and exasperated by his mercurial and temperamental subject. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026 Weather can be temperamental in the spring, but wildlife emerges from winter slumbers at this time of year. — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026 As the lead singer of Connect 3, Shane can be temperamental and arrogant. — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026 Ormund, the snooty, temperamental head of House Hightower, is shown charred beyond recognition in the episode's final moments. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for temperamental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temperamental
  1. moody
  2. volatile
  3. impulsive
  4. unpredictable
  5. unstable
Adjective
  • Among those who celebrate, millennials (36 percent) and Gen Z (34 percent) are nearly six times as likely as boomers to embrace playful, eclectic, and maximalist or moody, dramatic, and glamorous holiday styles.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The moody interiors conceived by architect Sylvestre Murigneux combine warm alpine codes such as tartan textiles, velvet and wooden accents with Asian influences.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of moody
Adjective
  • To their credit, the creative minds behind the Absolute series don’t bother masking their politics — an especially bold move for anyone working in an industry with an often reactive and volatile fandom.
    — Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Still, the prospect of additional supply from American producers remains uncertain, with companies reluctant to commit to major new investments amid volatile prices and geopolitical risks.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of volatile
Adjective
  • Some people may also become more impulsive, choosing the quickest or easiest option simply to avoid the stress of making a decision.
    — Kriti Kumar, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Add to that discretionary recurring expenses like streaming subscriptions and some impulsive spending, and individuals can easily wind up with little room between their income and their expenses, Olson says.
    — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of impulsive
Adjective
  • Rashida Jones and Will McCormack wrote the screenplay for the film that follows two couples at a dinner party that turns into an unpredictable evening exposing messy relationships and desires.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The Serbian leader had long been seen as an unpredictable annoyance, and his balancing act wasn’t particularly subtle.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of unpredictable
Adjective
  • Water essentially acts as a catalyst that spontaneously creates particles known as hydroxyl radicals, unstable molecules linked to aging and disease.
    — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • If a tree appears diseased, unstable or at risk of falling, consider documenting the problem and notifying the owner in writing.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of unstable

Browse Nearby Words

temperament
temperamental
temperaments
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Temperamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temperamental. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of reticent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All